Grant budget template
A grant budget is checked for arithmetic before it is judged for reasonableness, and figures that do not reconcile are a common reason an otherwise strong proposal is declined. This template gives the standard line items and shows the calculations reviewers expect to see spelled out.
Every figure in the budget needs a visible calculation in the narrative. Not 'supplies: $3,600' but '12 sessions times 20 participants times $15 per participant equals $3,600'. Reviewers are checking whether you have actually planned the work.
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Download CSVCategory,Line item,Calculation,Amount,Funded by this request,Funded by other sources
Personnel,Program coordinator 0.5 FTE,"$52000 x 0.50",26000,26000,0
Personnel,Fringe benefits,"$26000 x 22%",5720,5720,0
Non-personnel,Participant meals,"12 sessions x 20 people x $15",3600,3600,0
Non-personnel,Curriculum materials,"20 participants x $45",900,900,0
Non-personnel,Local travel,"1200 miles x $0.70",840,0,840
Indirect,Indirect costs,"$37060 x 10%",3706,3706,0
[Category],[Line item],[Show the arithmetic],[Amount],[Amount],[Amount]Fringe, indirect, and the two rates people guess at
Fringe benefits are the employer costs attached to salary: payroll taxes, health insurance, retirement contributions, workers compensation. Calculate your actual rate by dividing total benefit costs by total salaries from last year's financials. For most small nonprofits this lands somewhere between 18 and 30 percent. Use your real figure rather than a round number, because a reviewer comparing it to your Form 990 will notice.
Indirect costs are the shared expenses that keep the organization running: rent, utilities, accounting, insurance, administrative staff. If you have a federally negotiated indirect cost rate, use it. If you do not, check the funder's published cap first. Many foundations limit indirect costs to between 10 and 15 percent, and some will not pay them at all. Listing a rate the funder has already said it will not fund signals that you did not read the guidelines.
What reviewers check first
The first pass is arithmetic. Do the line items sum to the stated total, does the total match the amount in your cover letter, and does the narrative explain the same figures that appear in the table. A mismatch here is the fastest route to a decline because it takes no expertise to spot.
The second pass is proportion. Personnel usually dominates a program budget, and that is expected. What draws attention is a budget where administrative and indirect costs are large relative to direct program delivery, or where a line item is large and unexplained. Anything unusual should be justified in the narrative before a reviewer has to ask.
Common questions
What line items belong in a grant budget?
Personnel with the FTE fraction shown, fringe benefits, supplies and materials, contracted services, travel with the mileage rate stated, space or equipment if applicable, and indirect costs. Each needs a visible calculation in the narrative.
How do I calculate a fringe benefit rate?
Divide total benefit costs by total salaries from your most recent financials. For most small nonprofits the result falls between 18 and 30 percent. Use your actual figure rather than rounding, since it can be checked against your Form 990.
What indirect cost rate can I charge?
Use your federally negotiated rate if you have one. Otherwise check the funder's published cap before choosing a figure, because many foundations limit indirect costs to 10 to 15 percent and some do not allow them at all.
What is the difference between direct and indirect costs?
Direct costs are attributable to this specific project, such as the coordinator's time and participant materials. Indirect costs are shared organizational expenses like rent, accounting, and insurance that support all programs and cannot be assigned to one.
Should the budget show funding from other sources?
Yes. A column showing what other committed funding covers demonstrates that the project is viable and that you are not asking one funder to carry all of it. Only list funds that are actually committed or clearly labeled as pending.
How detailed should the budget narrative be?
Every figure should have its arithmetic shown. Write '12 sessions times 20 participants times $15 equals $3,600' rather than naming the total alone. The narrative is where a reviewer judges whether the work has actually been planned.
What if my budget total does not match my cover letter?
Fix it before submitting. The mismatch between the budget table, the narrative, and the amount requested in the cover letter is among the most common avoidable reasons a strong proposal is declined.